


Before the Fall

by kaynibbler16



Series: Out of Alignment [3]
Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Angst, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-12
Updated: 2018-04-12
Packaged: 2019-04-21 18:21:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 941
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14290680
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kaynibbler16/pseuds/kaynibbler16
Summary: It was so perfect and yet she knew that something wasn't right.





	Before the Fall

Bio-luminescent plants lit up the darkness around Rose as she followed the Doctor down the path towards the Maraluna Falls on Fanana before it was inhabited. It was a warm night, but a cool breeze made her shiver. The Doctor must have noticed because he handed her his jacket. 

He looked different, older than the last time she’d seen him. He was tense, as if he had the entire universe on his shoulders.

When the fauna finally cleared, Rose gasped at the sight before them. Massive waterfalls towered above them stretching hundreds of feet into the air. The spray of the falls glittered like diamonds in the starlight and it reminded her of those fantasy paintings that she’d loved so much as a kid. It was enchanting.

The Doctor lead her towards the edge of the river where a blanket was spread out on the ground with a picnic basket sitting in the center. 

He’d planned this?

Rose sat down on the blanket as the Doctor opened the lid of the basket and retrieved a bottle of what looked almost like wine, if not for the fluorescent blue liquid swirling inside. He pulled out two wine glasses and poured them each a third of a glass before handing it to her. She took a small sip and her eyes widened in surprise. She couldn’t even begin to describe the flavor; it was some kind of fruit mixed with something else. Something that made her insides feel all warm and pleasant; better than any alcohol.

There were snacks, too. Fruits, chocolates, and cheeses of every variety were sitting on pre-made plates. The Doctor seemed to have pulled out all the stops for their little outing. Rose wouldn’t be surprised if he pulled out a violin and started playing.

It was perfect.

At some point, Rose leaned her head on the Doctor’s shoulder as they watched the water cascade down before them. His arm came up around her and held her close. Rose had never felt so relaxed and happy in her entire life.

But something wasn’t right; Rose could feel it in her bones. “Why did you do all this?”

“Don’t you like it?” the Doctor asked.

“I love it. It’s so peaceful,” Rose said, “but that doesn’t answer my question. This is different than any of our other trips. What brought it about?”

The Doctor shrugged and turned away from her to grab a piece of fruit. “I just thought it would make for a nice trip.”

Rose frowned. “Doctor, what aren’t you telling me?”

“Nothing. Everything is fine.” 

“No, it’s not. You’ve been acting strange since you picked me up. Please, tell me.”

The Doctor turned his eyes to hers and he looked so very sad. It scared her. 

He sighed. “I have to leave.”

“Right now? Why?”

“No, not at this moment, but soon. Romana is calling me back to Gallifrey.”

Rose bit her lip. “What are they trying to pin on you now?”

He chuckled, but the sound was empty to her ears. “Nothing like that. All Time Lords are being summoned for the…”

“The what, Doctor? What is it?”

His hand reached up and tucked a piece of hair behind her ear, his calloused fingers grazing her skin and making her shiver. “There were so many places I was going to take you. 1920s New York, the ringworld of Lorlania, New London at the height of its Victorian revival period. I wanted to take you everywhere.”

“We can still go someday,” Rose told him, her voice shaking as panic replaced the warm and relaxed feeling from earlier. “We can go to all those places.”

His smile was heartrendingly sad. 

“Doctor, please…”

“It’s the Time War, Rose.”

Rose’s heart stuttered in her chest. “The Time War?”

“The Daleks have waged war against us and we’re losing.”

She swallowed down the bile rising in her throat. He was going off to fight in a war? “So, what does this mean?”

He pressed a kiss to her forehead. “It means that I have to help in whatever way I can.”

“You’d never just stand by and let others get hurt. I know. It’s what I love about you.”

The Doctor froze at her words. Neither spoke for a long moment until he cleared his throat. “I have to try, Rose. In whatever way I can.”

“I know. It’s just…can’t I come with?”

“What?”

“I can help, Doctor. Whatever you need, we can do it together. I can assist you–”

“No.” He pulled away and firmly gripped her shoulders. “Absolutely not.”

“But I–”

The Doctor shook his head. “Rose, I won’t be able to protect you and I can’t…I can’t lose you. I’m sorry, but you can’t come with me. Not this time.”

Tears burned in Rose’s eyes as she tried to fight off the wave of despair coursing through her. “You could die.”

He sighed heavily and pulled her into a hug. “That’s a possibility.”

Rose couldn’t hold back the sob that escaped her throat. 

Who would be there to hold his hand?

“Forgive me, Rose. I wanted tonight to be a happy memory for us, but I’ve ruined that. I’m so sorry.”

Rose wiped away a few tears. “I’ll only forgive you if you promise me one thing.”

“Anything.”

With a firm grip on his hand, she said, “Promise me you’ll try to come back. Promise me.”

“I promise.”

“Good,’ Rose said as she wrapped her arms around his waist and rested her head on his shoulder, “because you still haven’t fixed my blender and I’m tired of it singing All Star on the hour, every hour.”


End file.
